Naruto MMORPG
by miakasango
Summary: It was Naruto's idea to join a gaming contest. It was Naruto's idea to join a kingdom and "start up" an alliance. It was NARUTO'S idea to enter a cave and steal the treasure. One bad idea after another. But nothing has ever been as interesting as this and it was all Naruto's idea to spice up their lives with a simple RPG. Rated T just in case. Hope you enjoy! :D AU
1. My new game!

Chapter 1: MMORPG

"Come on guys! I don't see why you all are so against being in this virtual reality game. It's going to be fun!" Naruto Uzamaki shouted to his friends as they followed close behind him.

It was their summer break and each teen planned on spending it on their on accord. Most planned on getting far away from the city as possible. Others, out of the city wasn't far enough. Either way, what was happening now wasn't a part of their plans.

You see, Naruto decided upon himself to register his closest friends in a gaming contest known as Adventure Central for the newest gaming device to hit the market. The game was said to be the world's best ten times over. It was supposedly so good, in fact, that one wouldn't need to finish the game in order to never want to put it down.

Naruto saw a sign that advertised the contest during the last month of school and register himself and all of his close friends in Adventure Central. Through someway they won and now they were all on their way to get their new systems from the CEO and organizer of Adventure Central.

"I don't like this, Naruto." Sakura Haruno, Naruto's best girl friend, said. Sakura was a pretty young girl with hot pink hair and emerald green eyes. Sakura was known for her love for medical studies and being under the tutelage of Tsunade Senju, a well respected doctor and fighter across the world. Unlike Naruto, Sakura was a realist and didn't dream outside of the box of reality.

"Oh come on!" Naruto whined enthusiastically. "What's there not to like? We get to play an expensive game that not many people do. We get to be the first, as a matter of fact. So again: What is there not to like?"

"I think Naruto is right guys." Tenten stated as she surveyed her manicure for one last time. "We should look on the bright side. This might be a bonding opportunity. We would've barely hung out this summer. At least we have something constructive to do now."

"Hai." Hinata Hyuuga smiled at her best friend. "Tenten and Naruto are right. This is going to be a fun bonding experience with many benefits."

"Name one other than "friendship" and being the first to own an expensive gaming device, because I don't see any other." Sasuke Uchiha asked. Sasuke, like Sakura, was a realist. He barely saw things outside of what they were, which is probably why Sakura liked him so much. Sasuke saw the real stuff, like many others of their friends.

"Listen, don't think of it like that." Tenten smiled sweetly. "This is just something to have fun with. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Speaking of opportunity and gain," Shikamaru Nara stated finally, "what exactly are we getting for all of this? I am sure that besides the game, these corporate losers are going to compensate us for all of the free advertising and marketing we are going to be doing for them."

"What does compensate mean?" Naruto asked, which earned him a punch to the head from Sakura.

"You idiot!" Sakura growled.

"Compensate means payment, Naruto-kun." Hinata stated meekly.

"Oh!" Naruto gave them all a foxy grin. "They gave me $500 for this. Of course, I spent all of it on some new clothes, shoes, and ramune! Yeah! Lots and lots of ramune!"

Everyone in the group groaned. Naruto was indeed a headache. "So instead of splitting the money amongst ourselves, you chose to do the exact opposite and keep it all for yourself. Naruto, you are such a loser!" Sasuke shouted.

"Sorry! I didn't think about it!" Naruto whined. "Besides, what were you guys going to do with the money? It's not like you needed it!"

"It's not like you did either!" Ino Yamanaka shouted. "I could've totally used it on some new clothes and shoes too!"

"Whatever." Naruto passively stated. "Everyone knows that you and Sakura spend money like water. Your shoes are so expensive I am sure that $500 would've only paid for a heel off of your stilettos." Upon seeing Ino's raging face, Naruto tried a new approach. "Why not sell a few pairs of shoes and get the "would be" $500 back?"

Ino gawked a the boy as if he had just said the most alien thing she had ever heard. It was that much of a horror to her. "Don't speak that way about my shoes! They are not, and never will be, for sale! EVER!"

"Hey guys, can we stop arguing for a second and look ahead? I think we're here." Tenten smiled as she pointed to the large tower in front of the group. "We better get in there before the CEO losses his temper waiting on us. We did take like forever to get here."

"But we can't go without Neji!" Hinata stated. "He just texted that he was on his way. He just got out of his meeting."

Naruto turned to Hinata. "We can't wait that long!" Naruto whined. "It's going to take him forever to get here with his limo driver."

"Neji's driving in his car." Hinata stated with a smirk. Everyone knew that when Neji drove _his _car, time was not a factor. Neji may have the best driving record among his friends, but he shouldn't. Neji was known to drive like the devil himself. He doesn't have road rage, but when he's on a mission, no one can stop him. Not even the police. That goes double for when he is driving his own sports car his wealthy uncle bought him for his 17th birthday.

"Well then, we need only to wait maybe another minute for Neji." Shikamaru stated. "Can you wait that long, Naruto?" Naruto just gave a grunt of reply.

As if on cue, another minute later a shiny red, expensive sports car zoomed into the corporate parking lot in front of the group. Out of it stepped the Neji Hyuuga in all of his arrogant glory. His long brown hair flowed behind him as the wind picked. He wore his normal attire (ironed and pressed slacks, button down shirts, dress shoes) with black shades that hid his all seeing eyes. Neji closed the door to the sports car and waltzed up to his friends.

"About time you showed up, Hyuuga." Sasuke stated in his equal glory. Both boys were some of the most handsome kids in their school. Neji, being older than Sasuke, always had the upper hand on the latter. Especially since Neji had many girlish features. "You always have to make a flashy entrance, don't you?"

"Uchiha." Neji stated coolly. "It's a pleasure to see you walking like a lost dog again. Still can't find your master, pooch?"

"Enough of the pleasantries!" Tenten clapped her hands together as if being a teacher and her friends were her students. "We must go get our consoles or whatever so I can get home. Mom is expecting me."

Neji snaked his arm possessively around Tenten's waist, much to Sasuke's distain, and walked with her inside of the building. It was an understatement to say that Sasuke and Neji had a rivalry. Both boys were trying to gain the upper hand during every chance they got. One thing both boys wanted, which Neji Hyuuga got the day he asked, was Tenten's true affection. Even with all of the girls pending for Sasuke and Neji, both only had eyes for the girl in Neji's grade.

* * *

The CEO's name was Mark Dwight. Mark was a skinny young man with blond hair and green eyes. He didn't seem like much of a dominant person, and Sakura was sure he wasn't that great of a CEO manager. But apparently he was good enough to see who gets the first gaming systems in the world.

"Alright." the man smiled as he pulled out some papers and handed one to each teen. "These papers are going to guide you into the game. There are some things you should know about the game. First off, you need to know it's name. The game itself is called Epic Tale 101. In the game you will make your own character and their lives will be chosen at random. Some of you may start off as poor and lost as ever. With no fighting skills what so ever. Some of you may start off as wealthy as a king. With as much fighting skill as a knight. So don't get your hopes up if you aren't the type of person you would like. The story molds to your will. As long as you have your prime objective in mind you won't be disappointed."

Naruto raised his hand excitedly. "Uh… Mark, is there a story we have to follow?"

"No at all." Mark smiled wider. "This is my favorite part of Epic Tale. There is a story you can do, but you don't have to follow the story. See, you can start off as a poor, badly trained thief but mold yourself into a richer better one. The normal story of a thief is to become so well known that he/she can't possibly go unnoticed. But of course, you don't have to do that. You can go from being a thief to being a wizard or something. It's purely your choice."

"Can we play together?" Ino asked.

"Of course. As a matter of fact, these consoles will be synced so that each of you will start off as a band of friends who come together in order to stop a large group of evil warlords across the Epic Tale's world. Of course, that is purely optional. And besides, each of you will have your own background, own skills, and own notoriety." Mark explained. "It's kind of like a cross between Free Realms and Assassin's Creed."

"Then why the hell are we going to be together in the first place?" Sasuke asked. "There is no possible way a thief and one of the king's most loyal knights would be put together on the same team."

"Well, there is a story behind this, but that will have to wait until you start the game." He stated. "Trust me. You will understand in due time. Now come and get your consoles." A huge man with muscles rippling under his suit rolled in boxes. He stepped up to each teen and handed them their respective boxes. "These are your headset consoles. They are the basic sets for the game, so no worries. Oh, and your game will automatically save every time you shut it off. Just don't forget to save your game."

"What if we don't charge it?" Ino asked.

"It just won't save." Mark smiled sweetly. "Alright, now off you go. If you have further questions, my personal number is inside of your console boxes."

"Well thank you, Mark." Hinata smiled as each of her friends thanked the CEO and bid him farewell.

* * *

(Later that night at Naruto's home…)

Naruto happily sat his prized console on his bed and giddily stared at it. Naruto had been waiting for weeks to get this, the newest game to hit the gaming world, since he first heard about it from one of his gamer magazines. So you can imagine how he felt when the Mark Dwight emailed him later that same month with the news that he was one of the firsts to own the console headset.

Naruto immediately shed out of his day clothes and put on his pajamas. After that he locked his bedroom door and closed his curtains. He then snuggled into his bed and opened the new box and found a large headset (almost like a biker's helmet only with the sides being more like large headphones attached with cords, the visor being more of a screen, and much more futuristic).

Naruto pulled out the instruction sheet Mark handed him at their first meeting. "So these cords need to be placed on my forehead and the back of my head." Naruto immediately put on the headset and planted each respective cord on his head. To say he felt silly was an understatement. "Alright, now I need to turn on the power switch. Easy enough."

As soon as Naruto turned the power on he could no longer feel the instruction sheet in his hands nor could he feel or hear the air conditioner in his room. He couldn't see his normal bedroom either! All he could see was darkness. That is, until he saw blue water and neon colors zooming past him at high speed.

"What the hell?" Naruto shouted.

"_Welcome Naruto Uzamaki." _A voice sounded above Naruto. It sounded like some sort of female computer voice that he heard used every time on TV. _"Welcome to Epic Tale 101! We have a few lifestyle selections you can choose from." _Almost immediately, three words and pictures appeared before Naruto. The first word was "Fisherman." There was a picture of a small village planted next to the ocean above the word. The second word was "Common Thief." Above that was gold piles and swords. The third option was "Merchant." Wagons and horses were in the third picture with lots of food piled around. _"We have analyzed your interests and deduced that these occupations will suit you much better than the rest. Of course, you are free to change who you are inside of the game. But for now, please select your occupation. Please use a clear and loud voice when addressing. Thank you." _

Naruto skeptically looked at the choices before him. There was no way in hell he was going to be a thief. Sure he stole bread and stuff from local bakeries, but a change of pace might prove better. And he was pretty damn sure that going around the world selling shit was not going to prove any better, although he did love food. "I choose Fisherman!" Naruto shouted to no one in particular.

"_Fisherman has been chosen by Naruto Uzamaki!" _The voice stated clearly. _"Good luck on your journey, Naruto and please feel free to call out to us for help." _With that the voice faded out and Naruto was left sailing in the immense space before everything went black once again.

When Naruto finally awoke, he was sitting at some sort of campsite. Taking the initiative, Naruto began looking around. First he surveyed himself. Naruto wore no shirt, per usual. All he wore worn out shorts and straw sandals. A large tattoo was printed on his chest with a shark tooth necklace. He also had a red rag tied on his head. Everything else about himself was normal. He still had the same spiky, blond hair, the same muscle mass, and the same fox whiskers. If anything should be noticed, it's his skin. Naruto had gotten just a little darker, probably from the sun.

After that, Naruto noticed that the campsite he was at looked normal. There were trees all around him. A few tents were scattered amongst the campfire, which was burning true. He then noticed several bodies, all looking far too familiar. The one closest to him was the one he chose to disturb. "Ino?"


	2. So weird

**So sorry for the late update. I was kind of enjoying my summer break in Florida a little too much. At any rate, I have finally finished the second chapter to MMORPG. I am so happy. I hope all of you who read it enjoys what I have to offer. Please, go easy. This is my first story after all. **

**Mia**

* * *

(Earlier that day with Ino…)

After Mark Dwight had given each teen their gaming devices, Ino headed home with Sakura to her home. On the way there Sakura had been talking nonstop about the game, stating every pro and con. She even went so far as to state the worst case scenario (something involving memory loss, water, and electricity). "What do you think, Ino?" Sakura asked.

Ino, who had been texting on her brand new cell phone and completely ignoring Sakura's talking before hand, looked at her friend with mild interest. "What are you talking about, Sakura?" She asked before hitting the "send" button.

Sakura kept walking, not looking at Ino once, as she spoke. "About Epic Tale. What do you think?"

"What the hell is Epic Tale?" Ino asked.

Sakura stopped walking and gave Ino an incredulous stare. Ino stopped. "Are you kidding me?" Sakura asked as she threw up her free hand in emphasis. "Epic Tale! The game you have in your hand. Right _there_!" Ino looked down at the box in her hands and gave a low "oh…"Sakura slapped herself on the forehead. "I swear, sometimes you are just as bad as Naruto."

"Hey, what do you expect from us blonds?" Ino smirked as the two continued their walking.

"Nothing." Sakura sighed as she readjusted the box she was holding.

"Good!" Ino smiled as she began her texting.

* * *

(At Sakura's house in her room…)

"Alright, what do you want to do now?" Ino asked as she fanned her newly painted fingernails. "We did our hair, nails, and facials already. We prank called Mr. Kakashi (for these purposes, he is their high school math teacher). We even planned out our new clothes for school, whenever that starts. Got any more ideas?"

Sakura sat up from her position on Ino's fuzzy, white carpet. They had been at Ino's home for just under three hours and they were already bored. The whole purpose of this sleepover was to rid themselves of their summer boredom. For a while, the idea proved effective. "We could… start that gossiping thing you like to do with Temari."

"Yes, but that is a "Temari-Ino" thing, not a "Ino-Sakura" one." Ino pointed out.

"Why can't it be called a "Sakura-Ino" thing?"

"Because "Ino-Sakura" sounds better, forehead."

"Don't call me forehead, Ino-pig."

"Well is it my fault that you have a HUMONGOUS head?" Ino taunted.

"I'm warning you, pig!"

"I mean seriously, what do you do with that thing in public? There is no way you could hide that under a hat, so how do you hide it? What's your secret?" Ino smirked. "I wonder how Sasuke-kun tolerates such a thing when he walks with you. Does he pretend to not know you? I know I would."

"That's it!" Sakura screeched as she lunged at Ino and they began rolling on the ground. Sakura immediately pinned Ino down and began tickling her. Ino began laughing wildly under Sakura's body. Sakura smirked. "Take that, pig!"

Ino gave one big heave to release herself from Sakura and then immediately rolled away from the girl, giggling. When she lifted her head, it hit the back of her dresser. "Ow…"

Sakura looked at Ino and then to the dresser. On top of it were the game consoles. "I wonder if the others started playing the game already." Sakura said as she lifted her box off of the dresser. "Do you want to start it?"

"Well I should _probably_ be nursing this bump that could potentially cause me to go into a coma, but who wants to do that when you could play a video game?" Ino joked as she retrieved her own box.

"Shut up and start the game." Sakura smiled as she placed herself on Ino's bed and read over the instructions once before turning her game on.

"So how is it so far, forehead?" Ino asked to her now limp friend. There was no response. "Sakura, are you okay? Sakura?" She then began waving her color coated hand in front of Sakura's lifeless body. A big "WTF" popped in Ino's head before she shrugged it off and opened her own box.

After reading the instructions just as Naruto had, Ino placed her console on and waited a moment before turning the switch on and placing the wires in their proper place. Then all consuming black surrounded her.

"What's going on?" Ino asked to no one in particular as she floated above an ocean with the same colors Naruto had seen zoomed past herself.

"_Ino Yamanaka." _A voice sounded. _"Welcome to Epic Tale 101! We have a few lifestyle selections you can choose from." _Almost immediately, three words and pictures appeared before Ino. The first word, and only word Ino cared to notice, was "Princess." _"We have analyzed your interests and deduced that these occupations will suit you better than the rest. Of course, you are free to change who you are inside of the game. But for now, please select your occupation. Please use a clear and loud voice when addressing. Thank you." _(Déjà vu much?)

"Princess!" Ino shouted immediately.

"_Princess has been chosen by Ino Yamanaka. Good luck on your journey and please feel free to call out to us for help anytime." With that, everything went black, just as it did with Naruto._

* * *

Ino opened her eyes. Around her she saw many people happily chatting and laughing. To her right was some sort of black knight, cursing to another man who looked suspiciously like Shikamaru. Said man was yawning lazily while scratching the back of his head. She then turned to her left to see both, what looked like, Sakura and Tenten happily chatting. Finally, Ino noticed her surroundings.

_(Ino's POV)_

I was in a prominent village with houses and markets scattered around. At the heart of the city was a grand castle surrounded by giant pillars and smaller houses (probably for the staff). The whole kingdom looked to be in some sort of celebration or festival. Merchants were in front of their shops advertising their goods to the many…

_(Normal POV)_

"Ino?" Sakura had been calling Ino's name since the girl had started looking as if she was in some sort of daze. Ino blinked several times before turning to Sakura. "Don't worry. I did the same exact thing when I first got here."

"Yeah." Tenten smiled as she walked over to the two. "But don't worry, Ino. I will explain everything to you the same way I explained it to Sakura."

Ino gave a half smile before completely noticing her friends. Sakura looked exactly the same way Ino had seen her before they had entered Epic Tale. She still had her abnormal pink hair, forehead, and emerald green eyes; but now she had markings all across her face. There were two forest green lines seeping from the corner of her eyes to the bottom of her chin. Her clothing had also changed. Sakura now wore a knee length dress made of silk robes laced with gold. A blue, metallic belt was strapped to her waist with a pouch for a small leather booklet.

Tenten looked a little more abnormal. Like Sakura, Tenten too had markings on her face. Only her markings were peach, barely noticeable on her tan skin. They formed rectangles starting at the side of her nose leading into her brown hair. Her hair wasn't in its normal twin buns. Instead it was formed into a single bun at the back of her head (sort of like Chichi's hair only more straight). She wore a green hoodie with matching skinny jeans. She also wore knee high combat boots. A group of belts were strapped around her waist, each carrying a pouch of its own. On her back was a group of arrows and a large bow on her back.

"Can you hear that?" Tenten asked as she turned to the opening of the kingdom.

"What are you talking about, Tenten?" Sakura asked as she too turned in that direction.

Pulling strands of her hair out of the way, Tenten showed off her pointed elf ears. "Holy cow!" Ino screeched upon seeing the ears. "What happened to your ears?"

* * *

**I know. Pretty short, huh? I kind of liked what I did here. I bet you can probably guess what race (or occupation rather) everyone is so far. If you don't know, well I will put that in the next chapter that should be coming soon. Oh, and Naruto will make an appearance after we get up to speed with the other characters. Next time, I think I will be doing Sakura's POV. Please stay with me. **

**~Mia**


	3. Diverging Paths

**This chapter is really short. Gomen. I just kind of hd a moment with this one an decided to see the feedback. I tried my best not to sound to crazy wierd in this one. Pleae go easy on me.**

* * *

(Normal POV)

"Ino, are you just noticing her ears?" Sakura asked.

"Uh… yeah!" Ino said.

"Guys, let's focus here." Tenten said. "I hear something weird. It sounds like hundreds of horses rushing here."

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" Some random man shouted as he passed the group of friends on his own horse. "The Dark One's army is coming! Evacuate!" Immediately people were closing their shops and doors. All of the dancers and entertainers from the festival were running to their ox drawn carriages. Men, women, and children were heading out of town in their own rides. Some running bare foot.

"What's going on?" Ino shouted over the screaming crowd.

"Didn't you hear him?" An elderly man asked as he stopped in front of Ino, Sakura, and Tenten. "The Army of Serpents are coming this way. That must mean that the Dark One is coming as well." The man then jumped on the back of a moving cart and waved farewell to our heroes. "If I were you, I would get out of here fast!"

"Wait! Who is the Dark One?" Sakura shouted after him.

"Apparently he is some evil ruler seeking to further his own land and rule this world and all that surround it." The man that looked like Shikamaru stated as he calmly walked over to the group of girls. The black knight followed.

"Is that you, Shikamaru?" Ino asked as she pulled some of his hair. "You sure look different."

Indeed he did. Shikamaru looked to have aged decades. His pineapple hair changed to a gray color and wrinkles scarred his body. His eyes, always looking tired, seemed even more drowsy than usual. Although Shikamaru was definitely older than before, he seemed cryptic with knowledge. His back did not bend the way an elder's would. Instead, it stood tall like a young man in his prime (thought not as muscular). Shikamaru wore many robes and a large book was carried in his arms.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Sakura asked. "Are we going to run? I mean, that doesn't sound like the most heroic thing to do but it is more sensible than rushing into a fight we might lose."

"I say we stand our ground and fight off this evil armada." The black knight stated.

"Only a knight would say something like that." Tenten sighed as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, we can't just run away with our tails between our legs!"

"And we can't just fight someone else's battle either." Sakura argued.

"I say we stay and fight." The black knight solemnly spoke.

"And I say we leave." Sakura shot back. The duo eyed each other down before turning to the group. "Well?" They both shouted to the nervous group of friends.

Shikamaru gave an exasperated sigh. "How troublesome…" He sighed again before looking towards the front gates. What ever army was there sure wasn't wasting anytime, for they had already killed all of the on duty guards and were now breaking down the iron gates. "Look, I think the best option is to do as Sakura says and flee. As you can see, I am not in the best of shape. Fighting won't do anything but get me killed."

"Uh yeah. Shika is right." Ino whispered behind said boy while she tried to dodge the black knight's glare. "A princess such as myself shouldn't be fighting like this."

"Well I think we should stay and fight." Tenten smirked. "Look, this town is going to go under if we don't do anything." She then turned to the knight and hit his chest plate. "I'll back you up from the top of some of these houses with my arrows. I'm a pretty good shot, so it won't be hard. Ground control will be completely yours though."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." The knight spoke as he and Tenten headed for the middle of the village.

"Do they really think that they can handle this?" Ino asked.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Shikamaru whispered to himself.

"Let's go guys." Sakura stated as she ran out of the city, following the other villagers. Shikamaru and Ino followed close behind.

(Sakura's POV)

We began walking in the same direction as the fleeing villagers. I led the way, with both Ino and Shikamaru following. As we followed the path of the villagers, we passed several burning villages and farming areas.

(Normal POV)

"Do you think that army came here too?" Ino asked.

"Judging from the purple and black fire, that wouldn't be a far off guess." Shikamaru surmised as he touched some ash on the ground. "Such destructive power…"

"Hey, look over there!" Sakura shouted as she ran into the burning city.

"Sakura, wait up!" Ino chased after her friend. Shikamaru just sighed and ran after them.

(Inside of the burning city)

Sakura ran through the city and into one of the few houses that weren't burned to a crisp. Inside of the house, there was a small girl on the floor. She had serious burns all over her tiny body. Sakura knelt down beside the girl and instinctively pulled her close to her own body.

Sakura shook the little girl. "Hey, are you alright?"

The small girl weakly turned her head to Sakura. "Sa… ra…" The girl muttered.

"Don't try to talk! I'll get you some help." Sakura was about to put the little girl down, but she held onto her hands.

"You don't remember me, Sakura-chan?" The girl asked as tears slipped from her eyes.

Sakura stared quizzically at the dying girl before her. She was trying to remember. It didn't help that the little girl was dying and staring expectantly at her. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you. Maybe you hit your head or something."

The little let out a small sigh. Before she died, she said, "My name is Scintilla." Then she flashed a faint smile and died in Sakura's arms.

"Talk about deep." Ino smiled as she came into the room. "This game couldn't get more dramatic, could it?" Sakura, wide eyed, put the little girl down on the floor and left with Ino. "Earth to Sakura. Hey, are you okay? And you call me the scatter brain."

Sakura blinked a few times. Then her eyes turned a bit solemn. "For a moment there, I forgot that this was a game."

"Yeah, according to Naruto, every game has a few sad moments like that. Don't sweat it. Before long, everyone will have had to hold a dead body." Ino said.

"But it wasn't just that." Sakura spoke. "It's weird. For a moment there, I actually began remembering some stuff."

But before the duo could continue, Shikamaru raced up to them huffing. "There you are. You shouldn't make an old man… huff… run! Damn. This stuff takes a lot out of you."

Ino laughed at Shikamaru. "It's not like being young would be any different for you. You'd still be last to finish."

Shikamaru just grumbled. He then looked at Sakura's sullen form. "Is she okay?"

"Nothing a little time with Sasuke couldn't fix." Ino winked.

Sakura immediately snapped out of her daze and glared at her best friend. "Oh get over yourself, Ino-pig."

"Ha ha! See?" Ino laughed.

"Go screw yourself." Sakura snapped.

"Alright ladies, that's enough sweet talk. We have to get out of here." Shikamaru said. "Which way?" Both girls shrugged their shoulders. "How do you not know which way to go?"

"Well, I kind of just ran over here when I saw that this one house was not burning." Sakura explained.

"I just followed her." Added Ino.

"Ugh… this is going to be a long day."

* * *

(After walking another few miles)

"I'm tired!" Ino whined.

"Like we didn't catch that the last 49 times." Shikamaru said as he trudged to a stop.

"I wonder how Tenten and that black knight are doing." Sakura wondered.

"I bet their in a dungeon or somewhere." Ino said.

"Not likely. Sasuke has an attack higher than any of us, so they should've made quick work of whatever was rmpaging the village." Shikamaru said.

"Yeah..." Ino sighed.

"Wait, that was Sasuke?" As realization dawned on Sakura, Ino punched Shikamaru at the back of the head.

"Why didn't you tell us that the black knight was Sasuke?" Ino growled.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "How was I supposed to know that Sasuke was going to be oh so important to you? Oh wait, I forgot who I was dealing with. My bad." He growled.

"Wait, if you knew that Sasuke was so strong and that he could probably take care of those freaks back there, why did you vote to leave?" Sakura asked,

Shikamaru sighed. "We would've just been in the way. Right now, only Tenten and Sasuke have powers to fight. What could we have done?" Both girls remained silent. "My idea is to meet up with them later on. By then, I have planned to have made us stronger."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Ino asked.

"We are going to go to your kingdom, Ino."

* * *

**The one thing with Shikamaru is that you can't go wrong by saying things like "Troublesome" or "What a drag" because that is what the real Shikamaru would say. That's why I like him so much. **

**So anyway, the next chapter will probably be a little longer because I like what I have in store for our heroes. But wait, we're missing a couple of people. Oh that's right. Hinata and Neji! They will come in later. Next chapter deals with Tenten and Sasuke during their fight. My first actio scene. Wish me luck. **

**~Mia**


	4. Attack of the Orcs and a Cyclops?

**Well what do you know? I am updating back to back now. Hm... and here I thought I was just going to throw this story away. LOL. Anyway, I am happy with what I did in this chapter. My first action scene took place here and I hope that you all enjoy it. I don't know what else to say except that I will try my best to look continue with my very first fanfic. Again, I hope you all enjoy it, because I know that I have enjoyed writing it. I know that the first chapter was pretty bad, but I can only get better. **

* * *

(Tenten's POV)

When I first got Epic Tale 101, I wasn't sure what to expect. Me, being the curios person that I am, went straight home and read over my instructions. As soon as I was done, I started the game up. Zooming colors and water rushed past me. I was scared. But then this loud voice told me to pick a new me, yah know? So I was given three options, looked them over, and chose. I decided to become a half-elf ranger. Because my little brother is such a… _fanatic_ about games like this (mostly Dungeons and Dragons), I instantly knew what an elf ranger was: a pointy eared person with a bow and arrow. Sounded simple enough.

So anyway, after I became this elf ranger everything went black. I was then placed in immediate danger. A wild herd of mutated buffalo was eyeing me down. I wasn't particularly keen on the concepts of hunting, so I ran. Now, the monsters were chasing me through a dense forest. It wasn't long before I found myself falling. The herd immediately surrounded me. I thought I was a goner!

Then, all of a sudden, all of the buffalo lay before me: dead, dismembered, and utterly defeated. I wasn't sure what happened, so I just sat there in awe.

"Are you okay?" Someone asked me.

I turned to see the owner of the voice was a large knight shrouded in darkness. It took me a minute to gather my voice. "Who are you?" I growled out. Not the smartest thing to do when faced with danger, but hey. I was scared, hurt, and lost in a video game. I was irritated!

"You shouldn't be so mean to your savior." The man said. I thought I heard the faintest for of humor in his shrouded voice.

"Again I ask, who are you?" I growled out again. This time I stood and armed myself with the bow and arrow I didn't know I had. "I won't ask you again." I then narrowed my eyes and pulled farther back on my bow.

The knight pulled his hands up by his head. "Okay, I give." He said, again with humor in his voice. "Damn, your sure do drive a hard bargain Tenten."

I lowered my bow and arrow. "How do you know my name?" I asked.

The knight then removed his helmet to reveal Sasuke Uchiha, a good friend of mine. I don't really know him, but I know that all of my female (and some guys) friends can't get enough of him. "It's me, Sasuke." He said.

"Oh, well that explains a lot." I smirked as I put my weapon down. "So what now?"

"I say we go to the next town." Sasuke suggested. "Let's go before more monsters find us. It won't be long. That blood smells awful." And that it did.

"We won't have to worry about that." I said. "More are coming, and fast." Apparently my ears could hear things from far away, so it wasn't a long shot to say that the deep breathing and different sets of hurried hooves I heard could be more of those same monsters from earlier. It's not like you could forget the sound of monsters chasing you anyway.

"How do you know?" He asked as he placed his helmet on. Sasuke then drew his long sword once again.

"That's not a sound you can forget considering I have supper hearing." I said.

So Sasuke and I fought our way out of the forest. We fought tooth and nail. Of course, Sasuke did more of the work since my arrows worked better as back up, but still. When we finally made it out of the forest, that same voice sounded above our heads. "_Level up!_"

"What was that?" I asked to no one in particular.

"_When you earn enough experience points, or defeat an area, you will level up. When you level up, you open new moves and items for usage throughout the game. If you need further help with leveling up, look for quests in the game. Your personal book should have everything you need to know regarding the level ups." _A different voice then said, _"You can now use the move _Pierce. _Pierce can be used to shoot through several enemies in a single shot." _

"What do you know? I just got a new move." I said.

"Same here." Sasuke put in. "A level up, too."

I gave a small noise in agreement. Upon exiting the forest, Sasuke and I headed in no general direction. In truth, we were both rather lost. It wasn't long until our friend, Shikamaru Nara, joined us. We were both a little surprised to see that he was an old man wrapped in cloaks. We didn't say anything about it, but I'm sure Shikamaru could tell how surprised we were. So again, we began walking. Soon we made it to a large kingdom. There we meet Sakura, a (from a conversation with my brother I knew her as) cleric. Shortly after, Ino appeared. She was a princess. Enough said.

After we all stopped to converse, I heard sharp sounds from the front of the city gates. It wasn't long before we all split up again. Sasuke and I had decided to stay and fight while Shikamaru and the girls fled. I suppose it was for the best. Shikamaru and Ino, if anyone, would've just slowed us down. Shikamaru being old, and Ino being… a princess (enough said).

So here we are, fighting off a bunch of crazy monsters. Oh joy.

* * *

(Normal POV)

From on the roof of one of the highest buildings closest to the front gates, Tenten could spy out very large monsters moving towards their area. Orcs (1). None wore armor, but their brute size would surely be an obstacle. "It's a good thing there are so few of them." Indeed there were. Just by eye balling the group and without counting, Tenten could see 5, maybe off by one or two.

As soon as the first Orc made it through the gate, Tenten fired one of her arrows full speed. It nailed the Orc head on. After the third arrow, the Orc fell to his knees. "Awesome!" Tenten shouted in approval. Below, Sasuke saw the large beast fall. He immediately charged the Orcs, sword drawn. It didn't take long for Sasuke and Tenten to make quick work of the invading Orcs.

"This was a little too easy." Sasuke said as he helped Tenten down from the large building.

"Yes. You would think that a kingdom of this size would have an easier time defeating such enemies." Tenten said.

It was then that large flurry of footsteps were heard coming to the front of the broken gate. All of the dead bodies of the fallen Orcs were pushed aside by the large being. A Cyclops (2). It's not often a Cyclops is seen ruling a group of Orcs. Nor is it normal for them to be outside of their caves and surrounding lands.

"Who dares kill my Orcs?" The Cyclops voice was so loud that both Tenten and Sasuke covered their ears as their body vibrated from its booming sound. All of the demolished houses crumbled even further into dust.

"We dare!" Tenten shouted up to the beast, ears still covered.

The Cyclops narrowed its eyes as it bent its large body down to the two. "Such tiny creatures defeat Orcs? Bahahahaha!" The Cyclops laughed, causing more buildings to fall. "Impossible! How could a half-breed and human defeat them? Bah! There must be others!" He then turned his attention to the still standing buildings further down the area. "Show yourselves!" His voice boomed, causing many of the buildings to shake. He then made his way over to the standing homes and shops, beginning his investigation.

"What do we do now?" Tenten asked.

"We kill him." Sasuke said as he ran towards the large beast.

Tenten gave out an exasperated sigh as she climbed the previous building. "I'm going to get old climbing this thing."

"Hey, big and nasty! You want to kill hundreds and just walk around this place like you own it? I don't think so! Let's go! Me and you, right now!" Sasuke shouted up at the beast. Sasuke began slashing at the beast, feeling more like large paper cuts than anything.

Annoyed, the Cyclops began swatting at Sasuke, only to miss continuously. Then the Cyclops gave an aggravated sigh before swatting Sasuke twenty feet away. "Such a puny man. Go away!" He shouted out, causing the building above the fallen Sasuke to shake.

Seeing Sasuke fall, Tenten began to panic. Suddenly, the voice rang again, reminding her of the new move. Pulling back on her bow, Tenten shouted "Pierce!" from the building she was on. A golden arrow zoomed through the air and hit the Cyclops in the ankle and coming out on the opposite side. The Cyclops growled as it fell into the building in pain. The building could not support its weight, thus collapsing in the process.

"AH!" The Cyclops shouted as it held onto the bleeding ankle.

"Sasuke, now!" Tenten shouted down to the moving knight.

"Rawr!" Sasuke shouted as he rushed the fallen beast. "Smite!" Sasuke's sword glowed a temporary gold before dying out as Sasuke cut the Cyclops, sending it to hell and beyond.

* * *

"That was harder than I thought it would be." Sasuke said as Tenten made it to his side, bow and arrow drawn.

"Funny. I thought you said the exact opposite before you got thrown through that wooden wall." Tenten joked as they made their way over to the fallen Cyclops. "Is it dead?"

"I think so." Sasuke said as he pulled off his helmet. "You know, this thing gets pretty hot when you fight in it."

For the first time, Tenten saw Sasuke without his helmet in daylight. He still looked like the normal Sasuke; handsome, tall, and rather indifferent. What looked different for the young man were his eyes. Instead of being their onyx color, the cold eyes were now blood red with black slits. Sort of reptilian.

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke asked. He then smirked. "Do I have something on my face, or do you just like looking at me? Don't worry. You wouldn't be the first."

Tenten scoffed. "Don't make me laugh." It was then that Tenten heard the sound of rushed footsteps. They were definitely not monsters, but they were larger in number than the last set she had heard. "Something is coming." She then drew her bow and placed an arrow inside, aimed toward the source of the noise.

"Your sight must be just as bad as your hearing. Look." Sasuke said as he pulled down Tenten's arms. He then pointed towards the area all of the villagers ran through.

Coming from the forest area were Ino, Shikamaru, and Sakura. "What the hell happened here?" Ino asked as she surveyed the mostly destroyed town. As she held up her dress as she stepped over the broken bricks and mounds of dirt.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought you wanted to run." Tenten smirked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"We didn't plan on coming back! We got lost and somehow back tracked here." Sakura said.

"I knew where we were going." Shikamaru said.

"You're here now, so there is nothing we can do about it." Sasuke finally said as he ran a hand through his hair. "For now, we need to find shelter." He then pointed to the setting sun. "It's going to be night soon and we are going to need our rest."

"Maybe we can help you with that." Everyone turned to see an older man and woman walking towards them. "We are the owners of an inn further up the road."

"I thought all of the villagers fled this place." Shikamaru said.

"Well not everyone. Many people in our part of town decided to stay and wait out the conflict." The elderly woman said. "When we saw one of the invading Orcs immediately fall upon entering the city,"

"By arrows none the less!" The man put in.

"We thought that maybe the fight would be easily won, so we staid. It turns out, we were right."

"And I you were wrong?" Sasuke asked as he drew his sword. "Then what?"

"I'm sure you already know." The lovers smiled.

"Who are you people again?" Ino asked.

"We are the keepers of an inn further up the road; as we stated earlier." The man smiled wider. "It would be our pleasure if you let us keep you for the night, free of charge."

"Why would you help us? We could easily be just as evil as those Orcs and that Cyclops." Tenten asked rather skeptically.

"Just think of it as thanks for saving our home." The woman bowed. "Please let us at least repay you by allowing you to stay in our humble inn, free of charge."

The man looked back at his wife sadly. "My wife… she loves to please." He smiled.

"We will accept your offer." Shikamaru said. The others stared incredulously at him. "Don't give me that. Where else were we going to go? No one has a sleeping bag or tent. We have no food. And as far as I am concerned, someone needs a bath."

Sasuke scoffed. "Fine. We will stay at your inn for tonight. But I expect food and water." He then began walking in the direction of the inn.

"Normal people don't order others when they show hospitality." Tenten said.

"Sasuke does." Both Ino and Sakura smiled as they followed the two inn keepers to their home.

"If they turn out to be evil, you can shoot me with one of your arrows." Shikamaru said as the two followed their friends. "Ninety percent says so."

* * *

(That night in the inn…)

The room the inn keepers had allowed the gang to stay in was of moderate size. There were no beds for the other rooms were completely demolished. But they had given the team several blankets and pillows.

"I thought they said that the Orcs didn't reach here." Ino said.

"It had been demolished before then." Shikamaru said. "According to the man, this wasn't the first time that some form of monsters had entered and terrorized the place. Normally, however, the royal knights would have stopped them well before they had made it to the front gates."

"So what stopped them from doing that this time?" Sasuke asked.

"War." Everyone turned to the elder who had just entered their room with more blankets and things. "Two years ago, an evil warlord had entered these lands. Ever since, his domain has grown and now it even spreads to our lands. War was inevitable."

"How is that possible? Who is he?" Sakura asked.

"It is said that this man had been in war all of his life. Even as a young boy, war was his first nature. As he aged, he rose up in his ranks. Soon, he was renowned as a military god. When the wars finally stopped and everything was in peace, he appeared. His own group of soldiers were right at his side. Soon enough, he gained some long forgotten land. Slowly, his reach grew and before you knew it, he had formed his own nation of darkness and war."

"He craved war." Tenten said.

"No one knows his real name, but he has many more to substitute." The man said. "I call him Night Master."

* * *

**Again, I loved this chapter and I can only get better. Anyway, Naruto will finally be back in the next chapter, I hope. I am still trying to find a race and class for Neji and Hinata. I kind of threw Naruto's up in the air (and we all know how that worked). After everyone is in here, we will begin seeing more dept and character development. I don't know why I just said that, but I feel that you should know. Still deciding who I want the "evil mastermind" to be. Probably Orochimaru. Any ideas? **


	5. Plan of Action

**Welcome back to the next daring chapter in Naruto MMORPG! This chapter kind of made me laugh. I had to throw in a lot of things so that this chapter could sum up some important details. This was rather short, but I hope you enjoy! :D**

* * *

(Normal POV)

The gang woke up the next morning to see the village more lively than they had expected. White knights perched on stallions, half dead men, widows, and children buzzed about the town like a swarm of bees. Each coming and going with their fair share of depression.

"Why does this place scream death and sorrow?" Ino asked.

"Probably because everyone here is in a state of mourning." Sakura said back.

An older gentleman, who had been working to rebuild a fallen home, walked over to the group of strangers. "You've got that right, sweetheart." He said. "That Serpent Army is one hard brick to crack, if you catch my drift."

"I didn't know anyone in this game talked like that." Sakura whispered to Ino and Tenten.

"Come to think of it, a fleeing man told us that the Army of Serpents were coming. But… I didn't see any snake, let alone an army of them." Tenten pointed out.

"The Army of Serpents is just a title." The man spoke as he wiped his head of sweat. "You kids were lucky you didn't have to fight the Naga(3). They normally lead the charge for the Night Master's army. Thenyou would really see some snakes."

"Naga." Shikamaru repeated. "I take it that the Naga are the Night Master's right hand, so to speak."

"Yes. I am sure the Night Master would've sent them to the kingdom, but I heard that he likes to use his "big hitters" first. So they are probably in the war down south right now."

"And which way exactly is south?" Shikamaru asked.

Before the man could answer, another builder walked over to the group and shoved the man out of the way. He spoke in some foreign language to the man that caught everyone (aside from Shikamaru) off guard. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be talking to these people!"

"And why not?" The man shouted.

"They were the ones who took out the Night Master's army!" The first builder gasped as he turned back to the group and his eyes went as big as saucers. He then turned to the other man and they both ran away.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"Apparently that other man didn't want our guy talking to us, the killers of the Night Master's army." Shikamaru spoke.

"You understood that?" Sasuke asked. Shikamaru nodded.

"Since when can you understand… that?" Ino said, for a lack of words.

"Since I chose to learn it back when I was younger." Shikamaru spoke.

* * *

(Shikamaru POV)

Okay, so this is the first time I understood what Mark Dwight (for those of you who don't remember, Dwight is the CEO of Epic Tale 101) meant when he said that there was a reason we would all be together. Unlike, and I am sure of this, everyone else; I read all of my instructions before I began the game. I read everything word for word. I looked over the simple instructions and then went on to the complex ones inside of that HUGE rule book. A good read, if I may add.

So when I finally started the game and chose my character, I immediately went back into my memory (yeah, they can do that). I looked over my whole life in Epic Tale.

I grew up in a winter wonderland of a kingdom. I was the son of an emperor and his concubine. My mother was then taken from me by my father and his wife out of hatred. After she died, I was taken in by my mother's scholar of a lover. He kept and taught me everything he knew until I was old enough to care for myself. When the time finally came, I set out to do everything any adventurous teen wanted. I saw the walls that border each great land and their fair kingdoms. I learned sorcery and black magic, every language available to me, and a few neat tricks. I even made a few unforgettable bonds with several tribes of creatures. It wasn't long before my thirst for knowledge was quenched and I felt rather pleased with my life. I settled down in the far south, got married, and had a few kids. I was happy for some time, until war sprung up.

The Night Master's Serpent Army sprouted from the south, my home. The kingdom we lived in refused to kneel before them, so they had to pay the ultimate price. My city lied on the outskirts. We had time to flee and save ourselves, but I was still young and arrogant. I had my family stay while I attempted to battle off the invading army. My magic, some of the great and most respected throughout the ages, proved to not be enough to save my family. My wife, sons, and daughters were all taken before my eyes. It came as a shock to me, but a joke to the mighty Serpent Army. They knew I was no match for them, but they allowed me to believe I could protect my loved ones. They made a joke of me.

So I ran. No, they let me run. I should've died before those Naga, but I didn't care. I was defeated and lost. Some time later I made it north and stayed with an old friend of mine. I then became incased in a shroud of hatred. So it became my new resolve to take the lives of those who stole my family from me: the Serpent Army, Night Master, and myself.

* * *

(Normal POV)

"I just thought about it, guys. How do we get out of this game?" Ino asked.

"Wow… that is the first useful thing you've said all game, Ino." Sakura said.

"All you have to do is shout out "shut down" and then the game will go off." Shikamaru said.

"And you know this how?" Sasuke asked.

"I read." He spoke.

Tenten, who had been listening in to some of the conversation around, turned to the gang and said, "Maybe we should get some supplies for our journey."

"What journey?" Sakura asked.

"Isn't it obvious? The prime purpose of this game is to take out the Night Master and his army."

"Where do you plan on us going then?" Sakura shot back.

"Didn't you hear the old inn keepers last night? His reach only stretched to the North/South border. That must mean that he resides somewhere down south." Tenten said.

"That's not necessarily true, Tenten." Shikamaru spoke. "The Night Master could easily be anywhere, and judging from the Orcs and that Cyclops, so too could his army."

"Do you have a better idea then?" Tenten asked.

"I suggest heading north and waiting until we have gotten stronger."

"And how long will that take?" Sasuke asked.

"However long it needs to be. If we are diligent it should only a few weeks… in this game's time, of course." He said.

"And where do you propose we go again?"

"All the way north, the safest land so far. Besides, I have a place we can go to." Shikamaru said.

"I don't like the way you said that." Ino said.

"Trust me. I know where we can go. All we need is a ride…" (cue A-Team music)

* * *

"Did we have to steal that cart, Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she held on for dear life as their ox cart zoomed out of the city and down a dirt road. It wobbled back and forth as the ox gained speed.

"Did you have a better idea?" He shot back as he steered the ox to make a tight turn, causing the cart to make a large jump.

"Yeah! It's called asking!" Sakura growled as she was thrown back with Ino and Tenten.

"This is ridiculous!" Tenten growled out as she struggled to sit up.

"Seriously!" Ino whined as she and Sakura crawled to the front again. "Do you even know where we are going?!"

"Yeah, all we had to do was find which way was north and the rest was a straight shot out of the place!" Sasuke smirked back as he made yet another sharp turn. "Besides, I have Shikamaru to direct me."

"Next question: do you know how to DRIVE?!" Tenten shouted up to him, earning a snicker in reply. "This isn't funny, Uchiha!"

"I never said it was!" He called back as he swerved to dodge a passing cart, flipping said cart off in the process. "Drunk bastards…"

* * *

**I totally forgot to add some details from the last chapter, so please excuse me and my stupidity. **

**(1): Along with their brute strength and comparatively low intellect, the primary difference between orcs and the civilized humanoids is their attitude. As a culture, orcs are violent and aggressive, with the strongest ruling the rest through fear and brutality. They take what they want by force, and think nothing of slaughtering or enslaving entire villages when they can get away with it. They have little time for niceties or details, and their camps and villages tend to be filthy, ramshackle affairs filled with drunken brawls, pit fights, and other sadistic entertainment.**

**(2): Many thousands of years ago, the solemn cyclopes ruled vast kingdoms, yet today their glories are long forgotten. What few cyclopes survive seldom aspire higher than protecting their lairs and seeking out their next meals. This latter task occupies a great deal of their focus, for the monstrous appetites and vacuous hunger of the cyclopes control the race's destiny and may have led to their original downfall so long ago.**

**(3): A sharp-featured humanoid head crowns the powerful, sinuous body of this snake-like monstrosity. There are Dark Naga, Guardian Naga, and Spirit Naga. Each wih their own respective duties. **


	6. A Place to Rest

**Hello everyone and welcome back to another chapter of Naruto MMORPG. I am sorry once again for the spelling and grammar errors in the previous chapters. I also want everyone to know that I meant to select Naruto and NOT Naruko! MY fault entirely. I was debating on who this story should center around and just got far too excited. My apologies. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

"Alright everyone, let's settle down for the night." Shikamaru spoke to the shaken females inside of the cart. The gang had been on the road for nearly twelve hours since they left the town with the stolen cart. Ever since, Sasuke hadn't given the reigns to anyone (so you can tell how horribly tired, scared, and/or irritated the rest of the occupants were). The oxen were now unspeakably tired and their grunts were strained, yet their speed showed no sign of slowing anytime soon.

"I don't see why we need to stop now." Sasuke spoke up. "We're almost to the Northern Capitol." He then pointed to a large city miles away. Not much could be made out aside from two large towers standing erect on either side of (what looked like) a city dotted in white.

"Sasuke, are you even hearing yourself?" Tenten asked. "We've been riding for nearly thirteen hours, our oxen look like they're about to die any second now, and in case you haven't noticed, all of us are sick and tired of your reckless driving!" Sasuke turned to glare at the girl before giving the oxen a sharp turn, making them run straight into a thick forest. Their cart rocked back and forth as it raced over the uneven earth. "S-Sasuke! What are you doing?!"

"We're going to settle out here!" Sasuke shouted over the stomping of the oxen and breaking of the branches that made way for the cart and its inhabitants.

All three girls were now being thrown about the cart as it continued to sail down the newly drawn path. And then, all at once, the cart and oxen stopped. Each person was thrown forward. "Ow!" Sakura, Ino, and Tenten whined as they struggled to find their bearing.

"We're here. Happy?" Sasuke scoffed as he jumped out of the driver's seat and went to scout the surrounding area.

Shikamaru, who had been quiet and unshaken the whole ride, turned to his female companions. "Alright, I think we should go ahead and settle down in this clearing. The sun is going down much faster than I had expected (Mark's doing, thank you). At this rate, it will be pitch black in about an hour."

"So you can imagine how long it will take until dawn." Tenten pointed out.

"Okay!" Ino spoke enthusiastically. "This shall be our camping grounds. Sakura, before it gets dark, go find some food! Berries, nuts, anything that isn't poisonous. Tenten! Go collect sticks for a fire. We're going to need to get warm. I can already feel the winds and chill of the north. Shikamaru, you and Sasuke begin setting up a few spots for us to sleep. I'll leave the bedding and things to you. Alright everyone, hop to it!"

Everyone around Ino was quiet. "Since when does Ino say such… useful things?" Sakura asked.

"And it's not the first time, either!" Tenten said, amazed. "Remember at that other town?"

Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, yeah! And just now!" She said. "I think Shikamaru is rubbing off on her."

"Uh… hello?! I'm standing right here!" Ino said, annoyed.

"Good point." Shikamaru said. "You can go help Sakura collect food. We're going to need a lot if we are to have a good night's sleep and some for the road tomorrow. Hop to it, woman."

Ino gave a small pout before she and Sakura walked off in the opposite direct. Shikamaru then left in the direction of Sasuke.

(Normal POV with Tenten)

After everyone went off in search of their respective items, Tenten was left standing in the clearing, alone. She just shrugged and started up the trail they had traveled before. "There are bound to be lots of broken branches and stuff after we rode through here." Tenten thought as she trudged up the hill.

It had been ten minutes since Tenten had started her walk uphill, and not once had she come across any fallen branches or sticks. None that she didn't have to climb for. "I could've sworn that we snapped at least a couple of branches on our ride through here. Where are they?"

Tenten then heard the snapping of a twig behind her. Being the cautious ranger that she was, Tenten immediately got out of sight by jumping into a large tree, sitting on a sturdy branch for support. She then peeked below the branch and, to her surprise, there was a wild boar grazing before her. "Well, at least it's not one of those mutated buffalo things." Tenten sighed.

The boar then let out a gurgled cry of pain before falling to the ground, dead. Shocked, Tenten began looking around herself for the boar's assailant.

Tenten saw a man below her, with black hair cut into a bowl-cut, pick up the boar carcass in pleasure. "Yosh! I have finally caught a meal worthy of Gai-sensei's praise!" The man smiled as he examined the body, probably for any sign of infection. "I can finally get him to train me to be a Monk of the Lotus!" (1)

"I should probably take this guy out before he finds one of the others." Tenten told herself as she drew an arrow and placed it into her bow. She then took aim at the young man, before releasing the arrow to ensure his fate.

(With Sasuke and Shikamaru)

"We did a pretty good job." Shikamaru remarked as he looked over the work he and Sasuke had done.

Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, for two guys in twelve minutes."

The duo had made a few makeshift tents in their time span. Each tent was constructed of fallen branches Sasuke had collected from the path they broke through earlier (nudge nudge wink wink). Shikamaru had suggested that they use the really large leaves of a tree- he had spotted it on his way in- to use for the bedding and cover over the wood. All in all, it was a pretty good campsite, at least for the night.

"It will have to do. If it doesn't, we will have to work around in the darkness." Shikamaru pointed out. "We don't have much time before night falls."

"Then let's go find the others. We need to decide who sleeps where and which person takes the first shift." Sasuke said.

"Shift?"

"Yeah. We can't just sleep in a forest without some security." Sasuke said.

"Good point. Let's go and find them." Shikamaru said. Ever since the game had started, Shikamaru had been using far too much of his brain for his liking. Thanks to Sasuke, Shikamaru now has one less thing to worry about. In truth, it felt a little better to have someone else taking steps to secure their lives. Too bad it wouldn't last long.

(Later…)

The sun had sunken into the ocean of trees long ago, and no one has seen or heard from Tenten yet. Everyone had been scouting the area like crazy. Ever since Sasuke and Shikamaru had found Sakura and Ino, no one has been able to say where Tenten went in search of those branches.

"We should just give up and start tomorrow morning, bright and early." Sasuke spoke to his companions. Everyone stopped what they were doing, to follow the young man back to their campsite.

"I wonder where she went." Sakura said to Ino. "It's not like Tenten to just disappear on us."

"You don't think she got… (Gulp)… killed do you?" Ino then shut her mouth as Sakura gave her a quick nudge.

"Don't say that, Ino-pig." Sakura scolded.

"Let's just get some rest." Shikamaru spoke. "Sasuke, you get the first watch. Everyone else, grab a tent."

With that, each of the teens took their respectful spots and drifted into slumber (aside from Sasuke, who sat up as guard). It had been that same night, when the group of warriors settled down for that semi-endless world of dreams, that Naruto had entered their world.

* * *

**Good, no? I hope you guys liked that chapter. **

**(1)- Monks of the Lotus are warriors who hone their bodies into deadly weapons, but some monks eschew violence in favor of a more peaceful philosophy. While a monk of the lotus realizes that combat cannot always be avoided—and is more than capable in a fight—he understands that all creatures are connected, and to harm another is to harm the self. Instead, he strives to find peaceful resolutions to conflicts, and in doing so, hopes to achieve inner peace. **

**Neji and Hinata... yeah. I finally figured out what I want them to be, but I am having a hard time with their class (job). Let's put it to a vote (if anyone cares to, that is). **

**For Hinata, she will be a Changeling (I'll explain when we get to her entering the story) with a class of either a:**

**(1) Oracle or **

**(2) Witch. You decide. **

**Neji will be a Aasimar (explain later) with a class of either: **

**(1) Paladin**

**(2) Summoner (or if I find something better)**

**Please vote! **


	7. Lost and found

**Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, but it's done... and short. Sorry for any miss spelling and what not. Please enjoy! :D**

* * *

(Tenten's POV)

I was kidnapped and in a pissy mood. Not only had I been tied up and gagged, but I was forced to watch two idiots spar all night. And before you say anything, I tried to go to sleep on an empty stomach. But hearing people constantly fall and shout their "undying youth and love" for one another kind of prevented that. So here I am, half awake at 7am. Oh joy.

(Normal POV)

"Alright Lee, let's call it a night!" A tall man with shiny black hair smiled at his young student. The man was dressed in a kung fu outfit of pure green with a black sash tied securely around his waist. Underneath the clothes, Tenten could tell that the man was muscular beyond belief.

"Hai, Gai-sensei!" The same boy Tenten had seen earlier nodded enthusiastically to the man before collapsing on the floor in sleep. The man soon followed.

Tenten stared in disbelief. "They're freaks!" She told herself. Just earlier Tenten had seen the two fighting like there was no tomorrow, as if they had all the energy they would ever need at their disposal. Now, only seconds after finishing, they lay like zombies.

Like a ton of bricks, it hit her. Tenten was in a house with a bunch of weirdo's who would probably try to kill and/or rape her. And there would be no one to hear her shout. "Son of a…" It's not like she had her weapons on her, and if she did she wouldn't be able to use them. Her arms were restrained. "…bitch!"

Now lying flat on her back, Tenten looked up at the ceiling. Taking in one big gulp of air, she let out a frustrated scream from the top of her lungs. The murderous scream woke both of the men and anyone within a 2 mile radius.

* * *

(With the others)

Ino woke up with a start. She had heard the scream. Everyone had heard the scream. Who couldn't? But that's not what woke her up. There was an invader in her tent and she wasn't sure if she should get up and make a run for it, or fight him off while waiting for someone to save her. Either way, Ino didn't like her current situation. What if he tried to take her hostage? What if he killed her right there? When did he get in here?

While all of this was going on in Ino's head, she didn't notice the intruder inch closer and nudge her. "Ino? Is that you, Ino? I didn't expect you to have actually played the game! I mean, I know that I kind of volunteered for this but…" While the intruder was talking, he didn't notice Ino reel her fist back until she unleashed it on his face. She had chosen to fight back.

Pulling the sleeves back on her dress, Ino stood in the tent causing it to collapse all around them. "I might look like a princess, but I won't stand still and let someone attack me and my friends!" Her voice alerted Shikamaru, who was on watch as everyone else had slept.

Rushing towards the two, Shikamaru shouted to Ino, "What's wrong, Ino?"

"Someone snuck into my tent, Shikamaru!" Ino exclaimed as she rushed to hide behind the man.

"Shikamaru? Wow!" The intruder stood up and surveyed Shikamaru. "Look at you, man! You're so old!"

"And you're just as stupid as always." Shikamaru smirked. He turned to Ino and gave her a look. "Don't tell me that you can't even recognize Naruto now, Ino."

* * *

(With Sasuke and Sakura…)

The duo of Sakura and Sasuke had been up since dawn looking for Tenten. It was Shikamaru who had woken them to go look, not that Sasuke minded looking for the girl. It was just that ever since they had been walking, Sakura hadn't stopped talking. She spoke about the sky, friendship, medicine, and other useless things. Now Sasuke wasn't one to complain at every little thing like Shikamaru, but this was beginning to be too much. It seemed that Sakura spoke about whatever was on her mind. And all Sasuke could do (because he didn't want to hit the girl just yet) was listen.

"Sasuke, check out that tree!" Sakura spoke up as she pointed to yet another random tree.

Sasuke gave a long sigh before gazing up at said tree. To his surprise, the tree's branch looked to have been bent to the point of breaking. All that was left of the branch was hanging limp. Someone or thing was obviously stooped on that branch for quite some time.

"Someone must be really heavy." Sakura spoke up. "A branch as think as this wouldn't give under a body like mine or yours."

"It's possible another person was on the branch too." Sasuke said as he touched the piece of evidence. Things were beginning to come together.

* * *

(With Tenten, Lee, and Gai)

"What do we do with her now, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked as he surveyed the female elf in front of him. To him, the girl looked fair in beauty and her well-built frame ensured that she worked out. Perhaps Gai-sensei would allow him to take the female on in battle.

"You're not going to do anything with me!" She growled.

Gai bent down to eye level with the female elf ranger. He took her jaw in his hand and turned her face to his. "You were planning on killing Lee, is that right?" The girl snatched her face out of Gai's hands. "Look, it is against our philosophy to harm any living creature, so you don't have anything to worry about."

"That's a lie!" The elf spat.

"Is that so?"

"Your student here," She nodded her head to Lee, "killed a _living _pig! Is that a part of your philosophy too?"

"There's a difference between killing for fun and killing to survive." Lee spoke up. "We haven't eaten in days, you see. Gai-sensei and I have been traveling across the lands. Before that boar, the last time we ate was about two weeks ago."

"No normal human can live without food for two weeks."

"Well, we aren't your normal humans." Gai gave a hearty laugh.

* * *

(With the others)

Sasuke and Sakura had returned to the group of travelers a little later. They were surprised to see Naruto there, but that only made the mood lighter. The two reported the branch, but Sasuke withheld his sneaking suspicion about what had happened. Shikamaru had already formulated his own scenario of what happened to Tenten for the others. Most, of which, Sasuke had already guessed.

"Wait, so Tenten got kidnapped?" Naruto asked.

"Well, that's what we think happened." Sakura said. "It's not like her to up and leave without telling someone."

A moment of silence passed between everyone. "Neji is going to kill us!" Naruto screeched.

* * *

**Yay! We finally have some sort of development. LOL! I just want you guys to know that I have what I am going to make Neji and definitely will be in the next chapter. Hinata at the very least. But I'm looking forward to it. BTW. In case anyone doesn't know what just happened, Tenten was kidnapped by Gai just before she shot her arrow (thus saving Lee). Sasuke is hot on the trail of finding her. And Naruto is just a bit confused. **

**Here's a preview for the next chapter just so you're still entertained: **

Ino gazed up into the bright light. "What's that?" She shielded her sky blue eyes against the harmful rays. Inside of the rays a silhouette descended to the earth. Wings were on either side of the being, both spread for an easy landing.

"JESUS CAME BACK TO EARTH!" Naruto exclaimed before Sakura gave him a quick punch to the head.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura scolded. "We don't need a national controversy!"

"But," Ino began. "It looks like an angel."


	8. Rescue!

**Hey guys! Long time no see! I am sorry for my late update and how sloppy I have been with the others! Please accept my dearest apologies. On the bright side, I did update. I don't know how good this story is (seeing as I didn't get my chapter read over by someone else), but I am getting back into the groove of things since it is summer break. I hope you all continue to enjoy. It is kind of short. **

* * *

(Sasuke's POV)

I was currently running through the forest at high speed, looking for any clues to help me find Tenten's whereabouts. Shikamaru had instructed me to find her since I was the only one who would be able to at this point. The others would just get in the way: Ino is useless, Naruto would do more harm than good, and Sakura… well, she would probably just annoy me.

At any rate, Shikamaru wanted to lead the others on ahead to the capitol. I had no objections. It is better to just keep the team moving, and not waste time. The less days we spend goofing off, the more we have to actually make a difference in this war.

* * *

(Tenten's POV)

It was nearing nightfall and I had been lying in the same spot since I was first brought here. Lee and Gai had gone to sleep hours ago, both exhausted from their training. Other than that, nothing had changed. I was hungry, cold, lonely, and kind of bored. That's when I noticed someone in the bushes just beyond the back yard of this (I guess) dojo.

* * *

(Normal POV)

"Psst! Tenten, over here!" Tenten looked from her position on the floor and over to the bushes. There she saw a lone figure cloaked in darkness.

"Are you the grim reaper?" Tenten asked in a solemn manner. "Are you here to claim my soul and take me to the other realm beyond?"

The figure gave out a low chuckle before walking over, causing some amount of panic to rise inside of Tenten. "I never knew you were so… emo, Tenten." The figure said before walking into the light of the dojo and revealing that it was indeed Sasuke who had come to rescue the damsel Tenten.

"Sasuke!" Never in her whole life had Tenten been so happy to see Sasuke Uchiha.

"Shut the fuck up!" And now she wasn't. Sasuke moved over to Tenten and began untying her ropes. "We need to be as quiet as possible." He freed her.

Tenten stood and rubbed her wrists. Slowly she cracked her knuckles and moved towards her captors' room. Sasuke held her back. "What are you doing?"

"They took my bow and arrows, the only weapons I have. We need to get them back!" Tenten spoke in a hushed voice.

"Look, we can get you new weapons some other time. Right now we need to focus and get you out of here!" Sasuke stated.

Tenten snapped. "No! I need my weapons! You can't just replace them! Weapons have feelings too!" Tenten shouted/whispered.

There was a pause in the air. An awkward one. "Right…" Sasuke said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Fine. I will get your weapons. You stay here and-!"

"No. I will get my weapons. You stay here and be on alert." Tenten said as she put a calm hand on Sasuke's armored chest. Then she gave it a small knock. "Your armor is heavy, which causes you to move slow, and with every movement you make, the more noise your armor does. I should go. My armor is relatively clothing. Nothing will be heard from me."

Sasuke wanted to argue back, but he knew Tenten was right. It was a miracle no one heard him yet. "Okay fine, but be careful. I will wait 5 minutes for you to get in and get out."

* * *

(Tenten's POV)

I appreciated Sasuke's concern and dedication to my retrieval. It was nice to know that someone in this world, besides Neji and my family, cared about my safety. At least, I hope Sasuke cared. But anyway, I found my weapons located in the farthest corner of Lee and Gai's (I think that is their names). It didn't take long for me to gather them and make my way across the room.

When I finally made it back outside to Sasuke, I noticed that the stars were shining rather brightly in the sky and the moon hanging high up. It was night, and according to a conversation between Lee and Gai, this area was twice as dangerous during nightfall.

I tried to tell Sasuke that. I tried to warn him about the danger we could potentially be in, but he didn't listen. And that is how I got into my second kidnapping. Way to go, Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

(With the others)

Ino gazed up into the bright light. "What's that?" She shielded her sky blue eyes against the harmful rays. Inside of the rays a silhouette descended to the earth. Wings were on either side of the being, both spread for an easy landing.

"JESUS CAME BACK TO EARTH!" Naruto exclaimed before Sakura gave him a quick punch to the head.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura scolded. "We don't need a national controversy!"

"But," Ino began. "It looks like an angel."

* * *

**I don't know if any of you will be happy to know this particular SPOILER: I think we know who that is... DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUH! **

**Sorry to end it like that guys, but this is a work in progress. I hope you all will stick around and keep reading. If you have anything to add please review. I hope you liked this story up to here. **


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